“The exhibition of the Sopara Relics is the centrepiece of our wider effort to bring the Society’s historic collections closer to the public,” said Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, newly elected president of the Asiatic Society of Bombay

Published on: Oct 4, 2026, 22:38:06 IST

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MUMBAI: A hundred and forty-four years after they were excavated from the remains of an ancient Buddhist stupa at Mumbai’s Nalasopara, a remarkable collection of relics preserved in the archives of the Asiatic Society of Bombay will be shown to the public for the first time next year. The collection, which has remained largely inaccessible since its discovery in 1882, includes a reliquary containing multiple nested caskets, gold flowers, Buddhist artefacts, coins and a group of bronze figures.

“The exhibition of the Sopara Relics is the centrepiece of our wider effort to bring the Society’s historic collections closer to the public,” said Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, newly elected president of the Asiatic Society of Bombay. “It is likely to be held around Buddha Purnima in May 2027. For the first time, visitors will be able to see a collection that connects Sopara’s ancient Buddhist traditions with its history as a major centre of trade on India’s western coast.”

The discoveries were made in 1882 by pioneering archaeologist Bhagvanlal Indraji, who was also associated with the Asiatic Society. “Historically, the Asiatic Society of Bombay served as a central repository for antiquities discovered across the Bombay Presidency and the state,” said Suraj Pandit, a member of the Society’s managing committee.

Indraji’s excavation also yielded an edict of Emperor Ashoka, which is now preserved at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. There was also a large casket containing a series of smaller copper, silver, stone, crystal and gold caskets placed one inside another. The innermost gold casket is believed to contain a fragment of the Buddha’s alms bowl and a bone fragment belonging to Bodhisattva Purna, one of the Buddha’s 10 principal disciples.

Gold flowers of different types were found between the copper and silver caskets, along with a tiny gold plaque depicting Buddha with his hands making the Dharmachakra mudra. “Buddhist literature contains references to these relics being associated with Sopara,” said Pandit, a trained archaeologist and vice-principal of Sathaye College. “Indraji studied Buddhist texts and inscriptions, traced the references to Sopara and documented his findings in a detailed report.”

Nested caskets and Buddhist images

The excavated casket contained eight bronze images, seven seated Manushi Buddhas and one Maitreya Bodhisattva. Other objects recovered from the site included a piece of silver wire mixed with gold leaf, semi-precious stone beads, Buddhist auspicious symbols or triratna, and a Satavahana coin of King Yajna Sri Satakarni.

Based on the coins and images, the stupa has been dated to around the 2nd century CE while the Buddhist images are believed to belong to the 7th to 8th centuries CE. Archaeological interpretations suggest that the stupa was repaired during the 7th to 8th centuries and that the images may have been installed during this period.

“The antiquities preserved by the Society span several centuries,” said Pandit. “The stupa is believed to be at least 2,500 years old, while the Ashokan edict is approximately 2,300 years old. The silver coins are around 1,800 years old, and the bronze Buddhist images are estimated to be about 1,300 years old.”

The relics have been preserved at the Asiatic Society for nearly 144 years. As they are largely made of metal, they require regular preventive conservation: periodic cleaning, dusting and examination by archaeological and conservation experts for signs of deterioration. “Our recent assessments have found the collection to be in good condition,” Pandit said.

Society plans wider public outreach

The proposed Sopara exhibition is also part of a broader effort by the Asiatic Society to make its collections more accessible to the public, particularly younger audiences. “We are planning a ‘Know Your Asiatic’ campaign, with programmes once or twice a month,” said Sahasrabuddhe. “Young people will be given priority so that they can become more familiar with the Society and its rich collections.”

The Society is also planning something called a ‘Reading Together’ initiative. “A celebrity or well-known personality will come here and speak about a book they are currently reading, followed by a discussion in which other participants can talk about the books they are reading. The idea is to strengthen the reading culture among people,” said Sahasrabuddhe.

Another proposed initiative is a conference of book collectors and critics. “There are many people who have a passion for collecting books, but their work and experiences often remain unknown and unrecognised,” said Sahasrabuddhe. “We want to bring them together on a common platform where they can share their experiences.”

Lok Bhavan, Asiatic Society plan literary festival

Sahasrabuddhe said the Society was exploring a collaboration with Raj Bhavan (now renamed Lok Bhavan). “The governor is the patron of the Society, and on his suggestion, we will jointly organise an ‘Amchi Mumbai Sanskritik Mahotsav’,” he said. “It will be a literary festival with other cultural events, some held at Lok Bhavan and others at the Asiatic Society.”

The Society also plans to invite readers and vloggers, with a dedicated session on how digital creators can contribute to the reading culture. “There will be discussions on how we can remain connected with our past while moving towards the future,” Sahasrabuddhe stated.

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